6.++Universal+Themes+in+Oral+Tradition

**__ Universal Themes in the Oral Tradition __**

 * Written literature grew out of the __oral tradition__, the passing of stories, poems, and sayings by word of mouth. Around campfires and at other gatherings, people told tales about love, ambition, and friendship. Expressing their human concerns in stories, they explored __universal__ __themes__, insights into life that are true of many different times and cultures. The following are examples of common universal themes: **
 * ** the importance of heroism **
 * ** the strength of loyalty **
 * ** the power of love **
 * ** the dangers of greed **
 * Storytellers explored such themes by means of archetypes, the situation, characters, images, and symbols that appear in tales of various cultures. Here are some important __archetypes__: **
 * ** the __hero’s quest__, in which a brave or clever person undergoes tests or trails while searching for something of great value **
 * ** the struggle between the __protagonist,__ the main character, and the __antagonist__, the person or force that opposes the protagonist **
 * ** the __monster__, a non human or semi human creature that menaces human society and must be destroyed by the hero **
 * ** the __trickster__, a clever person who can fool others but often gets into trouble through curiosity **
 * ** the __circle__ as a symbol of loyalty, completion, or protection **
 * The __historical content__ is the social and cultural background of a particular tale. This context influences the presentation of the archetypes. Yet, even with cultural variations, one can still recognize archetypes across time and culture. **